Man who cracked fodder scam now Mamta's candidate

For ex-Central Bureau of Investigation additional director general Upen Biswas, who had cracked the Rs 800 crore Bihar fodder scam, fighting the coming assembly elections in West Bengal is an "experiment with honesty".

Biswas, fielded by the Trinamool Congress from Bagda in the Left-dominated North 24-Parganas district, claims that all his election expenses are being borne by the people of the constituency.

"I don't have to contribute a single paisa, let alone my one month's pension, as all my election expenses are being borne by the people of Bagda," Biswas, who had unearthed the fodder scam in which Lalu Prasad Yadav was an accused, told mediapersons.

Biswas, pitted against Forward Bloc candidate Nirmal Sikdar, said the people of Bagda wanted him to contest from their constituency because they wanted someone who would be honest, accountable to the people and, above all, transparent. With more than two lakh voters, the Bagda assembly seat, dominated by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, was won by Trinamool candidate Dulal Bhar in the last assembly election.

Biswas said he was overwhelmed by the support from people who were pouring money into his election fund and claimed he had even received personal donations of upto Rs 30,000. "Apart from declaring my election expenses during the filing of nomination, I shall put my entire election account on the web so that people can know the source of the money," Biswas said with a confident smile.

Asked what propelled him to join politics, Biswas said, "I didn't take the decision to join politics, rather the people of Bagda and Trinamool Congress compelled me." He added, "In my long career as a policeman, I have seen the murky world of politics and I have tried in vain to fight against it. What I couldn't do as a policeman, I want to do as a politician. I know I am a lone ranger, but I want to cleanse the politics of filth."

Asked if he would be able to survive in politics, the former police boss gave a tongue-in-cheek reply: "I have guerrilla training and know survival techniques better than many others."

A senior Election Commission official said people could donate for the election purpose, but every paisa spent for the election would be treated as the election cost of the candidate. "Moreover, any donation above Rs 10 will have to be authorised by the candidate and if the amount is more than Rs 20,000 it should go into the account of the candidate. The donor will either have to pay by cheque or the candidate will have to give him a receipt."